Basic Urban Survival Folder

STR

STR

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I guess I owe Mr. Koster for my leaning toward completing a BUS folder. ("BUSSTR" = basic, urban survival by STR ) I've had this project on the back burner for some time. I bought one of Dan's BushCraft 4" fixed blades the other day and looking it over gave me some excitement to complete an idea I've had since the first of the year to do a folder in that same Scandi grind. My concept did at first involve a handmade blade out of some 1095 or 5160 which will probably still happen but the blade was the hold up because I had not made it yet and couldn't get to it with all the other work I had here that I needed to do for others. I had a card board cut out of a blade and the body made but that was as far as I got. This missing blade issue was solved quite well with my reading another thread recently on the Wilderness and Survival forum started by Rupestris where I was introduced to a little blade I did not even know about until just then, that being the 'Cobbler Blade' from Ragweed forge http://www.ragweedforge.com/ shown here before I turned it into a folder blade. Wow are these little blades neat! Sharp as the dickins too! These are sold by Ragweed at $7 EACH plus shipping for "do it yourselfers" that want to install their own handles and custom create their own work tool. Its just a blade blank of 1095 carbon steel hardened to 60 Rockwell hardness, very thin and in a true scandi grind zero degree edge made to suit the hobbyist and outdoorsman. I of course turned my blade into a folder. I zipped it in half right quick too because this thin blade cut with a thin kerf cut off wheel with no problem at all. Didn't take ten minutes and it didn't get hot!

I bought three of these blades the other day. Wow are these things handy. They are super thin at .064 thickness. And its kind of, well funny I guess that the lock on this folder I built is .080 thickness but you know what? It works darn fine! 3.3 ounces but no clip. (yet) My thought on a basic urban survival folder was that it should function as a good pocket companion in town for the normal stuff we all use a folder for but also be a great back up to your fixed blade in the field, on the ranch, farm or camping. It should still be light weight enough to carry all the time, be comfortable in all grips and of a good steel easily maintained in the field with real good geometry to it to make effortless work of whatever you want to use it for also.

Here are some shots of it new, after gun bluing and after converting it to a folder. Now I apologize. I intended to do each step as a work in progress and post pictures as I moved forward. The weather prevented it from happening though. I went to the shop today to do some things this morning on my list but the weather is miserable here. We've got snow on the ground, its been bitter cold and I just don't like it much! Since my shop is 300 paces from the back door of my house where I'd have to scan my progress on a flat bed scanner it was out of the question. My compressor is locking up some from the cold too if I don't park it inside until I need it and overall it was just easier to finish a project already started and not have to do that hiking in snow. I did get the frame lock Persian for a customer started today and the pocket clip for a JYDII I was making nearly finished before calling it a day.

Anyway, this little folder seen here has a 3 and 3/16" gun blued blade. ( I blued my blade myself) A 4 and 5/8" closed length and of course the blade is the Cobbler blade with a Scandi grind on it which I conveniently converted to a folder blade fitting a body and lock set up of my design using 6AL-4V titanium and Micarta. :D I used brown canvas Micarta for the scales. By the way this is probably the first liner lock I've built in 5 years! I'm really a fan of frame locks over this type but decided for the proper anatomy I needed to use scales on both sides. I may do this design in some frame locks later though.

I guess you'd have to be familiar with these blades or have used one to appreciate how well they work. Get one and pit it against anything you now have and you'll see what I mean trust me. They really get after it making short work of a lot of jobs. Overall the folder came together using this blade quite well. The great thing about that is that I now have a folder I can use as a template and work with and still make another thicker more conventional blade later for it that can swap out if need be.

Thanks for looking.

STR
 

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The link goes to Ragweed Forge, where I have bought knives before. What maker is the cobblers knife under?
 
Simply scroll down once you open the page and find 'knives blades and kits'
Then scroll down again until you find that blade. They are only $7.50 each which has to be one of the deals of the century! The thing slices and whittles with the best of them let me tell ya! :thumbup:

STR
 
Thanks guys. I guess I expected more to comment on this one. I think its a great blade even if it was only $7.50. I started another blade in ATS34 for it today among other things like continuing on that Emerson Persian frame lock. What a chunk of titanium thats going to be. Should be nice when done though.

Anyway, I appreciate the comments. I was pretty happy with the handle design. Can't say I like the brown micarta too much though. I can live with it but something about the natural never did make it my favorite and I really don't like canvas micarta as much as the linen. I think the linen just looks much better finished out personally.

I should have done this one in green linen but the idea was to do the whole thing in scraps and everything including the clip I put on it today was just that. Left overs or seconds I'd never sell. I only get to keep the seconds gee whiz!:(

Good thing I have good ones from everyone else I guess. :D

Thanks again.
STR
 
I love the idea of a scandi folder. I noticed some scandi conversions from saber flat grinds in the Spyderco area on this forum. This is a great idea. Well done!!!
 
I like it a lot. Green micarta would look very good but there isn't a thing wrong with the natural IMHO. The only thing I don't like is how the screw heads aren't flush with the scales. Very cool stuff....PM coming at ya.
 
Thanks guys.

Funny you should mention that about the screw heads Morrow98. I ordered flat head screws for it Monday after getting it working. They should be here tomorrow. Great minds think alike as they say. :thumbup: I do have some that I bought from Sheffield Supply but they are not torx head and I want the torx. Sheffield sells the ones they call "Spline" and they work ok but the tool is one of those little L shaped hex head looking wrenches and to be honest I am spoiled at this point and like the mini drivers that spin nice and easy. Can't wind your clock backwards on some things you know?

STR
 
I'm not sure anyone would want to spend it. I've been asked by one other person so far. If I did it I'd probably want to go a different route on this one than my usual all done one at a time by hand deal and send a sheet of titanium to GreatLakesWaterJet to cut out the pattern in maybe ten sets at a time or something. (If he'd do that few I mean.)

This would reduce the cost I think. I was thinking about that last night actually. I get $250 for a lock side to rebuild a folder into a frame lock but this titanium is both cheaper and easier to work in this thickness so it would be hovering at around $200 plus or minus to do it the way I have been. From my stand point if I made an ATS34 blade and had it Bos heat treated for this same handle design I just made up a few months ago I'd charge $325 for that on up to $375 depending on slab thickness. Or you could have one just like this one for less money. Does that make it worth it? Well, thats up to the buyer I guess.

I can probably cut that cost down a good bit to just have them made using GreatLakes getting them all done each the same ready to use all done at the same time from a sheet, and I could probably even have him cut out the scales too if I wanted to do more liner locks. It all boils down to time invested in each one and if I'm only having to pay a reasonable fee to make a set of slabs with the lock and cuts already made or several at a time by Great Lakes to cut out the sides for me it may be better to just keep it simple and do frame locks rather than increase/double cost by making two more sides in the way of scales and liners.. If I could set that up to where I have them pre-cut ready to use and assemble it may change everything.

I guess what I'm saying on it is that I think after using this thing its got potential. Its a great little blade and a joy to cut with. Man is it nice! I can't stress how well it works and its shocked the hell out of me believe me. Anyway, not sure on a price point for it. I'm still weighing my options. If by using GLW I can get the price point down to about $150 plus or minus it has more potential to be attractive to folks I think but at this point don't hold your breath just yet on that idea.
STR
 
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Tnx, Steve! I'll wait in the wings. I'll know when to jump in for one of those!
Happy Holidays!
Rolf
 
No problem. I may have to play with more ideas after the holiday rush.

Further thoughts, I look at this thing and use it and ask myself things like, 'why am I beating myself up making these blades up when this one works so much better?' I stand here scratchin' my head at times you know?

For one example of why I'm scratchin' my head, I just made up this hawkbill frame lock folder using some 1095 blade steel a while back and I love it, its a great folder. Super lock up, great blade and overall one of the smoothies I have available. Its a great knife and I did a talonite blade for it as well so I can swap out blades at my whim. I'd sell it for around $400 with the talonite blade and yet this BUS folder using the $7.50 blade is every bit the Hawkbill's equal side by side in cutting tests and to be somewhat guilty of shooting myself in the foot, this BUS folder is probably out performing my own blades for cutting efficiancy but in their defense this is not the first time a Mora type blade for very little money has shown its true worth no matter what you compare it to. Its on par for edge keeping with most any other carbon blade. As is typical its probably hardened to 56-57 Rockwell but some of these are listed at 60 Rockwell on the web sites so it is possible that its harder than I think. It feels like it and 'drilled like it' too to be honest but without a RC tester its really unknown. Its hard to tell with the uses so far but it seems to be holding it's own. The initial edge that was on it had a very strong side and a very weak side indicating a rolled edge that needed work to remove a big burr. Once that was done it took on a new cutting level of performance. It doesn't seem as soft as some of the others I've used in the past from the same ilk, those being Mora type blades of this steel. I'm not sure who makes this blade to be honest. The dang thing is so thin it can't help but cut even after its dulled down some but once it dulled on hemp it became quite hard to cut with until I touched it up. It needs touch ups but not what I'd call super frequent ones but that goes with the territory on a carbon blade I think and since it springs right back to life with a couple swipes on the white hones on my Sharpmaker that is not an issue. There are actually a lot of benefits to using one of these Mora type blades I think. It has a lot of merits in the field or office for any real world users needs and its certainly one of those blades you could sharpen up on about any flat rock you find in the field. To think I just decided to have some fun playing around at my old tricks and it turned out this well. Go figure. :D

STR
 

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Steve---That's the Thing!! Why buy "A" when you could by" B"?! You figured it out! I think others will also. :)
 
Huh. This is interesting. I've been starting to consider a BF maker folder and the blade pattern on that is obviously something I'd prefer :D

I want. Though I might go for an OD or that burgundy micarta Tracy has over at USAknifemaker.

It looks like a blade that could get waterjet cut out of some of kelly cupples' .095 thick 15N20 stock, too. Then you want a jig for the scandi grind, of course. I do mine by hand and can get something that size scandi'd up in an hour, but if you are doing 100 of them.......
 
Yeah a longer blade would probably be more versatile, especially if it was thicker for some small wood splits and stuff like that. Maybe a good 5160 blade for ductility and toughness sake.

Blade Forums Maker folder huh? You should do that. Its a good idea.

Might have to check some of that stock Tracy has over there. I've got burgundy Micarta. You know that one is the most expensive one of all of them so thats kind of why I skipped over it for this prototype project. I really didn't know how this would or wouldn't work when I started it.

I am happy with the results though, at least so far anyway. Thanks for stopping by.

Always good to have the input of other makers. :thumbup:

STR
 
Oh, now I get it. DAH!

I'm slow sometimes. :D

I bought up three blades and ordered three more after using it so I should have five of them laying in a box ready to use here after the holidays. I figure I'll be making up at least a few more but I'm leaning more toward making up some, listing them as is and seeing what happens rather than take special orders on them. Being that it is what it is I am not sure I want to start taking special orders or be a 'custom maker' again. It didn't pan out the first time so I really don't want to start a precedent. I do figure some various others in green linen, maybe a textured G10 one and a frame lock version will all be forthcoming early next year though. I may even run another give away thread and use one of these for the prize. Stay tuned.

Thanks

STR
 
I hear ya. I fight with it, myself. I figure if I keep the jobs on an order board, try not ot take payment until I have a heat treated blade, and leave the timeframe as open ended as possible, it works out. And so far it does.
 
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